UMEM Educational Pearls

Critically Ill Renal Transplant Patients

  • Renal transplant patients are at high risk of critical illness from a variety of etiologies.
  • Sepsis is the most common reason for critical illness and ICU admission.  
  • Due to their immunosuppression, renal transplant patients are at risk of a multitude of infections.
  • Notwithstanding, acute bacterial pyelonephritis of the transplant is the most frequent cuase of sepsis, followed by bacterial pneumonia.
  • Be sure to consider these two etiologies when faced with a critically ill, septic renal transplant patient.

References

Darmon M, et al. Ten tips to manage renal transplant recipients. Intensive Care Med. 2019. epub ahead of print.